Flexible cover systems for swimming pools and hot tubs typically use inverted U-shaped bow members that are longitudinally displacable between extended and collapsed conditions to operate a flexible cover member, such as a tarp, between covered and uncovered conditions relative to the space above the pool or hot tub.
One problem with the known cover systems is that they are permanently installed in the area surrounding the pool and are not constructed to be retrofitted to existing pools or hot tubs without substantial modification to the unit itself. Besides the time-consuming and expensive labor costs associated with installing the prior art cover systems, it is also expensive to remove these systems.